Passenger vehicles and construction equipment are typically powered by a main internal combustion engine such as, for example, a four-stroke diesel engine. In order to start the main engine, an outside force must set the pistons of the engine in motion before the engine can power itself. The process of setting the pistons in motion is called a cranking event and involves rotating the crank shaft of the engine enough times at sufficient speed to initiate combustion within the engine. A cranking event is usually performed by a starter motor. Batteries or other powering devices are often used to supply power to the starter motor.
Cranking and starting a main engine may draw a significant amount of power from a work machine's on-board battery. Often, the on-board battery is designed to provide only three to four main engine cranking events before depleting the energy stored therein. Thus, if the engine fails to start after repeated attempts, and/or if the battery loses enough charge due to leakage, the charge present in the battery may be insufficient to start the main engine. It may be both costly and time consuming to bring in the necessary service equipment such as battery chargers or towing vehicles to remedy such a problem.
In addition, the work sites where construction equipment often operate, are inaccessible by ordinary vehicles. Such locations may include open-pit mines, forests, jungles, mountainous terrain, or any other isolated location. In any of these situations, it may be difficult or nearly impossible to reach the disabled vehicle.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0035657A1 to Brummett et al. (“Brummett”), published Feb. 17, 2005, describes a system that attempts to address the above mentioned issues. Brummett discloses a vehicle including a main engine, a main battery, and an auxiliary air conditioning system. The auxiliary air conditioning system includes an auxiliary four-stroke diesel engine and an auxiliary generator. In Brummett, the system monitors the voltage level of the main battery. When the voltage falls below a minimum threshold level, the auxiliary system charges the main battery. This procedure is performed until it is determined that the main battery contains enough power to be able to start the main engine. By utilizing an on-board battery charging system, Brummett eliminates the need to use separate servicing equipment such as a battery charger to charge the battery or a towing vehicle to move the disabled vehicle when the power level in the main battery is too low to start the main engine.
Although the system in Brummett may provide some assistance to a vehicle disabled by battery failure, it may be ineffective in other circumstances where the main engine fails. In particular, a main engine failure can be caused by any number of events, only one of which is the failure of the main battery. For example, a fully charged main battery may be unable to start the main engine if the crankshaft cannot turn, there is a hole in a cylinder, there is a fuel injection malfunction, or any other possible internal mechanical failure. Because the system in Brummett focuses only on charging the main battery, it may be unable to provide assistance or move the vehicle in other situations involving a main engine failure.
The present disclosure is directed towards overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.